APODAL MALACOPTERYGIANS. 221 



In the True Eels the dorsal commences at a considerable distance 

 behind the pectorals. 



In some the upper jaw is the shortest. 



The common Eels belong to this division. Our fishermen admit of 

 four kinds, which they pretend constitute as many species, but which are 

 confounded by authors under the name of Murcena anguilla, L. (The 

 common Eel); they are the Ang. verniaux, which is, I think, the most 

 common; the Ang. long bee, whose snout is more pointed and com- 

 pressed ; the Ang. plat bee, or the Grig-eel of the English, whose snout 

 is more flattened and obtuse, and eyes smaller; and the Ang. pimper- 

 neanx, or the Glut-eel of the English, where the snout is shorter in pro- 

 portion, and the eye larger*. 



In others the upper jaw is longest-f-. 



In the Congers {Conger, Cuv.), the dorsal begins very close to the 

 pectorals, or is even upon them ; and in all the other species the upper 

 jaw is the longer. 



Mur. conger, L. ; Bl. 155. (The Conger Eel). Found in all 

 the seas of Europe ; it attains the length of five or six feet, and the 

 thickness of a man's leg; dorsal and anal edged with black; lateral 

 line dotted with whitish. It is not in much request for the table, 

 still, when salted, it becomes profitable. 



Mur. myrus, L. (The Myre); Rondel. 407 J. From the Medi- 

 terranean, with the form of a Conger, but it remains smaller; it is 

 known by spots on the snout, a band across the occiput, and two 

 rows of dots on the nape, all of a whitish colour §. 



In some foreign Congers the dorsal commences even before the 

 pectorals, or at least on their base ||. The 



Ophisurus, Lacep. 



Differ from the true Eels by their dorsal and anal terminating before they 

 reach the end of their tail, which is thus deprived of a fin, and ends like 

 a punch. The posterior orifice of the nostril opens on the very edge of 

 the upper lip. Their intestines are similar to those of an Eel, a portion 

 of them, however, extending into the base of the tail beyond the anus. 



The pectoral fins of some are of the ordinary size ; their teeth are 

 trenchant and pointed. 



* We will give a comparative description of them, with correct figures, in our 

 large Ichthyology. 



} Mur. longi.collis, Cuv. — Lacep. II, iii, 3, under the false name of Mureena myrus. 



X Myrus, a fish so called by the antients, which some have considered as the male 

 of the Muraena; Rondelet was the first who applied it to this species, which is very 

 distinct, although, since Willoughby, no one has properly described it but Itisso; no 

 drawing has been made of it. 



§ The Mediterranean produces other small species of Congers described by La- 

 roche and Itisso under the names of Mur. baleariea, Lar., Ann. du Mus. XIII, xx, 3, 

 or Mur. cassivi, Risso, Mur.viystax, Lar., lb. XXIII, 10; — Mur. nigra, Risso, p 93. 

 The Mur. strongylodon, Schn. 91, which is far from being a variety of myrus, as that 

 author supposes, should also be referred to them. — The Anguillee mar brie, Quoy and 

 Gaym., Zool. Voy. de Freycin., pi. 51, f. 2. 



|| Mur. talubou, Russel, 38; — Mur. savanna, Cuv., from Martinique; — the C. a 

 chapclet, Krusenst. V, lx, 7. 



